Robbery near Mazatlan

Sheesh. Where there are Narcos, the cops do not venture, except in a convoy. I could if I wished "Have Lunch" in Apatzingan, Michoacan, but I don't. yes, it's a "tourist area" but that title was put on Apatzingan years ago. Things have changed. Sinaloa, is the top cartel/narco playground in Mexico. When I ventured off Mex 15-D only to become lost in the suburbs of Culiacan, a kindly motorcycle cop told me what I was doing was dangerous and he escorted me on a corkscrew route back to the freeway. I was seeking a traditional Mexican restaurant - in 1993, for comida.

So, even though I drive a "beater (on purpose)" and wear ordinary clothes, from Tepic to the border I stay in town rather than wander to some rural enclave. Mazatlan Centro, Sn Blas, is OK as well as centro Los Mochis and Obregon.

We have a town down here, La Union, Guerrero that is two miles off Mex 200, and it is pure bad news. A local advised us to get the hell out ASAP, even though there were five of us in two cars. Beto and Nano in the 2nd car were armed, but they had to arguments about leaving. Michoacan has not issued placas for carros importados for years and La Union was noted for getting "easy plates". Beto was the person who insisted on following Jesús and myself. Jesús remarked he would not ever return. The year was 2008. I am fortunate to have friends like that. I got my license, got hassled in Acapulco renewing it, then had to drive to Sn Marcos south of Acapulco. I found another Guerrero license office in Acapulco even though it takes 300 pesos under the counter to get my permiso.

Locally the chisme has me minding my own business, not being out really late, no venturing more than a Km or two up brechas looking for Guisache (firewood) and best of all a scrimp and save pensioner. Beto, at 6'7" has been an influence as well.

An "eyes and ears open" attitude is essential. Talk with the owner of an RV park, a couple of taxiistas, maybe the dueño of a fruteria, to get the gist on whether an area is safe or not. Even a local transito can have decent info about safety.

It's not paranoia. It's prudence. Like shopping in Watts or East Oakland. With common sense, it can be relatively safe.

But trolling a shiny new motor vehicle is just asking for it. If the thought of being seen in anything but a new high value vehicle angers a person, perhaps Mexico would be a poor choice.

I love reading all of this 1/2 baked debate. I love the newly empowered folks who want to bash Mexico because they "know" whats going on because they read blah blah blah beat.

possibility of needing a firearm for this purpose is "living in fear".

But, I believe I know how most Texans would answer the question.

Me? I happen to like owning and shooting guns. However, I really don't prefer the law that allows "open carry".

What is THAT all about?

I broke the quote out a bit - sorry if that is a problem.

I also enjoy shooting guns and have done so most of my life - target shooting.

There was a time when the was a "possibility" someone would drop a bomb on us so a great many people had bomb shelters built in their back yards. I do think this had to do with living in fear. Possibilities?

You also question the whole open carry thing and the need to walk around in public with a gun - including shopping malls and stores and restaurants where people bring their families. How many of these people carrying are professionally trained to avoid the loss of innocent life? What is that about?

Just one day before Grupo Bravo left the three heads near the school, they had delivered two other heads near a rural community and left a similar threatening message, Breitbart Texas reported. In that message Grupo Bravo claimed that the two heads in that ice chest belonged to two cartel lookouts from their rivals Cartel Del Noreste or CDN.

As clearly stated in the same news article referred to above these are cartel people killing cartel people. Very bad. No argument. But it is not about any tourists being killed or harmed. This is criminals killing criminals. They do it to warn the other cartels and the people who join them that this is what will happen to them. It has nothing to do with us so is no reason to fear them. We do not belong to or associate with cartels or cartel members.

timmac wrote:
Los Zetas Cartel Civil War Brings 5 Beheadings in 1 Week South of Texas Border

You wont find this kind of violence in North America, makes Detroit or Chicago look like Disney land..


The most recent case of narco-terror took place on Tuesday evening outside of a local elementary school in the Tamatan neighborhood when a group of cartel gunmen left two ice chests and a large narco-banner.

The ice-chests contained the severed heads of two women and one man. The banner was signed by the Los Zetas faction calling themselves Grupo Bravo and delivered a series of threats to their rivals as well as a warning to stop murdering innocent bystanders.

Will supply link later cant get the link to work..

Big difference. They aren't beheading innocent people. They don't go into movie theaters, schools, public venues, malls, military bases, well you get the idea and kill people. They kill each other. Good. They eliminate themselves.

The beheading part they learned from all the media news during the Iraq war. None of that started until the U.S. started publishing news stories about beheadings in the Middle East.

I work off and on in Texas. There's more corruption and crime there than you can shake a stick at and it has little to do with Mexico.

I hope you post the link you mentioned because I think it is very old news.

I just drove back from a two-day trip to Matamoros. Beautiful city. Drove right downtown, stayed at the Holiday Inn, went walking on the main avenue after dinner. Drove back on Hwy 2 from Matamoros to Reynosa. All farmland, producing corn, onions, sorghum and more.

Stay away from Borderland Beat. They have an ax to grind. They take the worst news stories in Spanish and translate them into English. Then all the rednecks post filthy dirty comments about Mexico and Mexicans. Shameful. I truly believe it is a site meant to stir anti-Latin American sentiment.

Los Zetas Cartel Civil War Brings 5 Beheadings in 1 Week South of Texas Border

You wont find this kind of violence in North America, makes Detroit or Chicago look like Disney land..


The most recent case of narco-terror took place on Tuesday evening outside of a local elementary school in the Tamatan neighborhood when a group of cartel gunmen left two ice chests and a large narco-banner.

The ice-chests contained the severed heads of two women and one man. The banner was signed by the Los Zetas faction calling themselves Grupo Bravo and delivered a series of threats to their rivals as well as a warning to stop murdering innocent bystanders.

Will supply link later cant get the link to work..

briansue,

OK, I believe I will respond to this one also,....at least THIS part of it:

"..... but it sure does seem there are an awful lot of people who feel a great need to be armed wherever they go and whatever they do. Seems to me it takes some level of fear to cause people to feel a need to be armed. What is that all about?"
__________________________________________________________
*
If you were to have access to every copy of the American Rifleman magazine and look at page 10, IMO you would have a clue as to why many people have, and use firearms. Page 10 is full of reports which tell about actual events where USA citizens defend themselves or protect their property by using firearms. After all, that's the reason firearms where invented (efficient method of killing).
Now, everyone can choose whether or not using a firearm to protect your person or property is the same as "living in fear". Or perhaps, one might choose to say that simply the thought of recognizing the possibility of needing a firearm for this purpose is "living in fear".
But, I believe I know how most Texans would answer the question. Me? I happen to like owning and shooting guns. However, I really don't prefer the law that allows "open carry". What is THAT all about?

When we listen to the politicians spout about how they are going to save us they use the politics of fear to get voters riled up. That is fear.

Mexicans are going to murder and r*p* us. That is fear


On this forum we hear trolls almost daily from those afraid to cross the border. That is fear.


And in "rural America" I thought it was sort of well known that there is a "meth epidemic". Some fear those people - perhaps with good reason. Lots online if you haven't heard about it.

I do not by any stretch of the imagination want to start a political thread going here nor am I anti gun or 2nd amendment but it sure does seem there are an awful lot of people who feel a great need to be armed wherever they go and whatever they do. Seems to me it takes some level of fear to cause people to feel a need to be armed. What is that all about?

Cloud Dancer wrote:

homefor2 wrote:

briansue wrote:
We "stray" all over North America as well as other parts of the world. Good things or bad things can happen anywhere. We find many more good things than bad things. Sure, odds can be reduced and risks reduced - but by how much really? I don't care who you are or where you are or what you are doing there are always all kinds of things that can happen. And there places and things we will not do and will not go. But we are not going to live in a monastery - or a gated community either. We lived in Puerto Rico and we knew the risks. We were burglarized a couple times - minor stuff - then we got a black dog and never had another problem. We know the standard operating practices for Mexico - as well as the US and the rest of the world - and we follow them as much as we can. Bad things can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime - refuse to live in fear!

Well said. Common sense to those that refuse to live in fear.

You guys well know that it's statistically more dangerous to live, and travel, in the USA than in Mexico. IMO if you are HERE, and don't know this, you are either ignorant, OR you're not afraid (don't live in fear). BTW I truly don't know anyone that "lives in fear". But, I know of places in the USA that are more dangerous than other places, in the USA. But, I come and go as I please.
FYI There's many people over here who no longer have the patience to deal with time-wasting officials, and policies over there (some of them are my relatives, and we are decsendants of Spanish and Native Americans with relatives who live in Mexico).

Not in MY USA World. Have lived in Rural America All my life and will continue to live in Rural America. Have never worried, have not had to worry and will enjoy my life in Rural America. That said we also enjoy our trips to Mexico and we rarely stay in the Tourist Traps.

rocmoc n AZ/Fld/Baja

homefor2 wrote:

briansue wrote:
We "stray" all over North America as well as other parts of the world. Good things or bad things can happen anywhere. We find many more good things than bad things. Sure, odds can be reduced and risks reduced - but by how much really? I don't care who you are or where you are or what you are doing there are always all kinds of things that can happen. And there places and things we will not do and will not go. But we are not going to live in a monastery - or a gated community either. We lived in Puerto Rico and we knew the risks. We were burglarized a couple times - minor stuff - then we got a black dog and never had another problem. We know the standard operating practices for Mexico - as well as the US and the rest of the world - and we follow them as much as we can. Bad things can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime - refuse to live in fear!

Well said. Common sense to those that refuse to live in fear.

You guys well know that it's statistically more dangerous to live, and travel, in the USA than in Mexico. IMO if you are HERE, and don't know this, you are either ignorant, OR you're not afraid (don't live in fear). BTW I truly don't know anyone that "lives in fear". But, I know of places in the USA that are more dangerous than other places, in the USA. But, I come and go as I please.
FYI There's many people over here who no longer have the patience to deal with time-wasting officials, and policies over there (some of them are my relatives, and we are decsendants of Spanish and Native Americans with relatives who live in Mexico).